


The garden pond

by Prisca



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Bingo, Challenges
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 12:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10854483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: Casey is visiting a flower- and garden show together with his mom when he meets someone he had never thought he would meet here





	The garden pond

**Author's Note:**

> prompt(s): garden / gardening

Casey loved the spring; finally, the cold and gray winter days were over, the days got brighter and longer again, and he couldn't wait to spend most of his free time outside. Sometimes with his camera to take amazing pics, sometimes helping his Mom turning the garden into the most colorful place of Herrington. Of course, most other guys of his age were not interested in stuff like this, but Casey didn't care much; they called him a geek anyway. 

It was early on a Saturday morning when he went to the 'Herrington Flower and Garden Show' together with his mom. A great place to get a lot of new suggestions and ideas. While his mom was wildly resolved finally to get the garden pond she was dreaming about for some years already Casey sneaked off to the greenhouses.

As usual, he skipped the most frequented sections with the designer gardens. Colorful, exotic flowers, plants, trees artfully put together by professional gardeners. It looked amazing, but for Casey, it was a bit too much, almost too perfect. He preferred it more simple; tulips, daffodils, and daisies were his favorites, arranged in antic looking crocks and vases, an old wooden table with accessories like a tin watering can, a worn-out straw hat and the yellow rubber boots in the background. He could imagine an arrangement like this on the porch of the Connor's house. His mom would love it, too.

„No, this is actually not what I was thinking about.“

The voice made Casey frown.

„I mean, we are living in Ohio, not Asia or Hawaii, so why should I go for exotic flowers?“

Slowly Casey turned around. And there he was. Zeke Tyler; the coolest guy from school, the guys respected him, the girls were crushing on him. And Zeke? Sometimes Casey had the feeling that for him the whole life was just a game; he was the dealer, the heartbreaker and a pain in the ass of the teachers, but no one seemed to know what was really going on in his mind.

As if Zeke could feel Casey's eyes resting on him, he suddenly turned around and smirked when he noticed him.   
„Oh, hey, Casey,“ he said.  
„What's up?“

He blinked, suddenly feeling nervous; it was ridiculous, but no one could make him feel so jumpy than Zeke.  
„My mom wants to put up a garden pond; she's looking for some ideas,“ he murmured.  
„And we need more flowers for the porch.“

„Oh, understood.“  
Zeke smiled, and Casey wasn't sure if he didn't just make fun of him; usually, his schoolmates didn't smile to him.  
„So you are an expert? What do you think, Japanese Camelia and Fig trees for the garden?“

„Ähm... I don't know.“  
Feeling even more confused Casey shrugged.  
„It could work, I guess. Fig trees are not too sensitive to cold, so if you have a protected place, it might be okay. But why don't you ask your gardener?“

Zeke looked surprised.  
„The gardener,“ he repeated.

„Well, I'm sure your parents have engaged one. He's doing a good job, by the way, your garden looks great.“

„Hm.“

Zeke's hazelnut brown eyes sparkled slightly amused, and Casey realized what he had said.   
„My cousin is living in the Bell Ave, too,“ he added quickly.  
„Maybe you know her, Jennifer Ricks, she moved there only some months ago together with her husband. They also have a dog, a border collie.“

The grin deepened, and Casey blushed slightly. Shit, he was babbling, as always, when he was uneasy. There was no reason for, wasn't it? Zeke was just a guy from school, but none of the bullies, and he actually mostly used to ignore him. So, why the sudden interest, why didn't he just go his way and left him alone?

To Casey's relief he noticed his mom; searchingly she was looking around in the greenhouse, and he waved at her.  
„Hello, mom.“

„Oh, there you are. Do you found some flowers?“

„The usual.“  
Casey grinned.  
„Tulips and daisies look best on the porch. But maybe we could buy some of these vases.“  
Then he pointed at the catalogs in her hand.  
„What's that? Some more material about the garden pond? To convince dad?“

She smiled openly, her eyes blue as Casey's.  
„Though I love this big one with the waterfall and all, I've decided to go for the more simple, complete version. You know, your dad is a brilliant architect, but he's not a fan of handicraft. This one we two should be able to build up alone.“

„Sure, we could try,“ Casey agreed. And it got more and more difficult to ignore Zeke who was still standing beside him.

„Excuse me when I step in.“  
Now he stepped closer and stretched out his hand to Mrs. Connor.  
„Name is Zeke. Casey and I share some courses at school.“

„Oh, that's great. I'm glad to meet a friend of Casey.“

Friends? For sure not.

„Nice to meet you. Casey talked a lot about it how much you are interested in gardening. And you want to build a pond now?“

Ähm?? They sometimes talked about schools stuff during chemistry because they shared a lab table, yes, but they had never talked about any private stuff.

Mrs. Connor smiled even more; she loved to talk about her garden.  
„Yes, this is something I always was dreaming about.“

„But then you really should go for the bigger version and not for the full set.“

„Oh, I would love to do that. But like I said, Frank, he is... well, he likes to sit on the porch to enjoy his cigar after lunch, but beside of that he's more a guy for working at his desk.“  
She laughed.  
„I was even thinking about it to enlist a professional, but that's pretty expensive. So, I guess it will be the simple one.“

„Don't waste your money. Maybe I could help you.“

What???

„Last year I did build up a pond in my garden all on my own. It's isn't that difficult when you know some tricks.“

„Really?“  
Now Mrs. Connor eyed the good looking guy with the designer jeans and the long sleeved shirt in front of her with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.  
„You are interested in gardening?“

„Well, yes,“ Zeke admitted.  
„My parents hired a gardener every year, but since they were moved to Hongkong some time ago I've fired him. He's not worth the money he gets. Since I do all the gardening by myself, it looks much better. I mean, who needs a japanise rockery in Ohio, huh?“

Casey huffed loudly. Okay, this was enough. He wasn't sure what was actually going on here, but this was more than ridiculous. Zeke Tyler was an expert for gardening? That was so... geeky. Zeke wasn't geeky; he was cool.

Suddenly he felt the urge to get out here; he needed some time just for himself, time to think about it why his mom had managed it to find out more about Zeke within five minutes than he had during the last two years.

„If you don't mind I would like to go,“ he said.  
„It's almost lunchtime, and I still want to go to the photoshop to get some films.“

„Oh.“  
Mrs. Connor glanced at the big clock on the wall.  
„Oh, it's already that late. Then we really need to hurry up.“  
She turned back to Zeke again.  
„Well, thanks for your offer, every help would be welcome. Maybe you would like to come for lunch tomorrow? Then we could talk things through.“

For a moment Casey closed his eyes. No. No and no! But for whatever reason, he suddenly had butterflies in his gut when Zeke nodded.

„Sure, why not.“

Wasn't it that what he always had wanted, to find out more about Zeke Tyler? It looked as if he finally would get his chance. 

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> written for FFFC (Dreamwidth) and Genprompt_Bingo round 11


End file.
